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Thursday, August 26, 2010

UN OFFICIAL SPEAKS OUT AGAINST MURDER OF INDONESIAN JOURNALIST

UN OFFICIAL SPEAKS OUT AGAINST MURDER OF INDONESIAN JOURNALIST The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/">UNESCO) has condemned the murder of Indonesian television journalist Ridwan Salamun and called on authorities in the South-East Asian nation to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Mr. Salamun was killed on 21 August while covering a clash between villagers in Tual, Malaku, Indonesia.

According to the network International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) and the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), he was hacked several times by angry villagers and later died of his wounds in a hospital.

"When journalists are covering events, whatever their nature, they should be guaranteed absolute immunity," UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova said in a news release.

"Their impartiality as witnesses should be inviolable. Because independence is inherent to their profession, they must be assured that they will not be perceived as taking sides.

"I call on Indonesian authorities to make every effort to elucidate the circumstances of this murder, and ensure that justice is done," she stated. Aug 26 2010 9:10AM